The present invention relates to an amusement device, and in particular to an electrically operated game having a display panel with projectile segments which can be sequentially illuminated along predetermined trajectories to convey the impression of a moving projectile and with player elements positioned to intercept the trajectories, each player element having peripheral segments which can be sequentially illuminated upon depression of a button uniquely corresponding to that player element in order to convey the impression of a player striking at the approaching projectile. If the proper button is depressed at the proper time, so that the striking motion of a properly positioned player element intersects the trajectory, the apparent motion of the projectile element will be reversed to produce the illusion of movement along a new trajectory. The amusement device is ideally suited for use as an electrical tennis game, the game operators attempting to ascertain the trajectory of an approaching ball and selecting a return button to illuminate a player element positioned to intercept the trajectory. If the proper volley button is depressed at the proper time, the corresponding player element is illuminated and appears to strike the ball back across the court.
Ball-type games having long been a favorite in the toy art both because of the intrinsic interest of such games and their derivation from competitive sports. A number of expedients having been used to create the illusion of a moving ball. For example, Japanese Patent Publication 55-3954 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,147,350 disclose a mechanical assembly for moving a light source which projects a ball image upon a screen. Such systems tend to be complicated mechanically, however, and the trajectories which can be generated in this way are relatively limited. Discrete light sources may also be used to convey the impression of movement along a trajectory, as in the Ping Pong ball game of U.S. Pat. No. 3,583,538. Additionally, television sets have been coupled to game devices to generate a variety of trajectories, but the resulting games tend to be both expensive and non-portable. These prior art methods for simulating movement of a projectile are generally unsatisfactory because of size, complexity, expense, limited trajectories, or a combination of these factors.
The employment of fluorescent display panels and liquid crystal display panels for use in games has been suggested in Japanese Laid-open Publications 54-140499 and 54-140497.
There are also a number of prior art methods for allowing game operators to interact with the movement of a ball. For example, movement may be mechanically stopped as in Japanese application 52-24992 or reflected by a movable paddle image as in a television Ping Pong game. Neither of these interaction methods realistically simulates a tennis game, inasmuch as a tennis player typically ascertains the trajectory of an approaching ball, moves into position, and then interacts with the ball by striking it.